Lock adapter



Dec. 27, 1966 M. P. FALK LOCK ADAPTER Filed Oct. 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORN EY M. P. FALK LOCK ADAPTER Dec. 27, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1964 INVENTOR MV/FO/V 1? FALK BY V/ZM K/JJML ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1966 M. P. FALK $93,392

LOCK ADAPTER Filed Oct. 9, 1964 i3 Sheets-$heet 5 H61 W v ii mm INVENTO MVFO/V P FA WZm/K/KMM I ATTORN EY 3,293,892 LOCK ADAPTER Myron F. Falk, Leominster, Mass, assignor to Independent lLoclr Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 402,712 3 Claims. (Cl. 7t)364) This invention relates to a lock assembly, and more particularly to a lock assembly adaptable to convert so-called mortise locks to operation by lock mechanisms of the socalled pin or disk tumbler type.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a lock assembly for modernizing mortise locks, closet locks or the like to provide additional security, the assembly being characterized by its ability to be installed within doors of a wide variety of thicknesses, without the necessity for stocking parts to correspond with the varying thickness of doors.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved lock operating mechnaism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for converting lock assemblies of the so-called mortise type, wherein a series-of standard, interchangeable parts may be employed for extending or diminishing the effective length of the conversion assembly, whereby a minimum of stock parts need be maintained and yet the device may be adaptable to doors of a wide variety of thicknesses.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a simple lock assembly for the conversion of mortise locks or the like, including a plurality of standardized parts which may be cumulatively included in a single assembly, thereby to augment the effective length of the assembly, as required.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a door having a lock assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified perspective view of a lock assembly in accordance with the invention, with portions of a standard mortise lock shown in dot and dash;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a conversion lock assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through a lock assembly in accordance with the invention taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a magnified vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a magnified discontinuous section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of a lock assembly similar to that of FIGURE 2, foreshortened to accommodate itself to a narrower door;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of one form of connector bar for use in a lock assembly of the type described;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical section through a nesting, extendible ferrule assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 showing the position of the parts with a key inserted into the outer locking mechanism.

In accordance with the invention, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a usual door 10 having a conventional mortise lock assembly 11. As best seen from FIGURE 2, latch member 12 is selectively operable by inner and outer knobs 13, 14, respectively, in the usual manner. Additionally and conventionally, the mortise assembly is a United States Patent 0 3,293,892 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 provided with a latch bolt 15 which initially was operated by a bit key lock which, as is well known, is of relatively low security and is easily picked. Recently it has become the custom to replace low security locks operated by bit keys with high security pin tumbler or disk tumbler lock assemblies. However, in view of the wide variety of door thicknesses encountered, it has heretofore been required that a large replacement stock be maintained to fit a wide variety of longitudinal sizes of lock assemblies, the assembly illustrated in the appended drawings being adapted, through the inclusion or elimination of certain parts, to obviate this problem by permitting the illustrated lock assembly to lit a wide range of door thicknesses.

In accordance with the invention, there is disclosed in FIGURE 2 an adapter lock assembly 20 including an outer housing 21 and an inner housing 22 insertible transversely through the usual passage formed through a conventional mortise lock assembly 11. The latch assembly includes a cam 23 rotatable between the housings and having a driver lobe 24 meshing with the mortise or closet lock for operating the latch bolt 15, it being understood that rotation of the cam 23 carrying the lobe 24 will serve to shift the latch bolt 15 between locking and unlocking positions.

It will be understood that, as desired, the cam may, on its inner end, be driven either by a key actuated lock assembly or, alternatively, by a knob, the rotation of which is not dependent upon the possession of a key. In the illustrated embodiment, however, both the inner and outer housings 21, 22 incorporate key driven assemblies. The inner and outer housings 21, 22 are identical and, hence, a description of one of the housings will suffice.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, housing 22 comprises a metal, preferably die-cast frame having a central bore 30 including an offset, radially extending clearance way 31. A pin tumbler assembly 32, conventional in all respects except that the same is preferably fabricated of nylon or a like long chain polyamide, may be inserted endwise into seated position within the housing by sleeving the outer end 33 of the assembly 32 into the inner end of the housing 22 until the inner end 34 of the pin tumbler chamber engages against the outer end portion of the housing 22, forming a stop therefor.

The assembly 32 is retained in its mounted position Within the housing 22 by subsequent insertion of a transversely extending pin member 36 which, as best seen in FIGURE 4, lies adjacent the inner end 37 of the tumbler extension 30 to block movement in an inward direction of the assembly 32.

The assembly 32 includes the usual rotatable lock plug 38 which is supported against endwise removal from the lock assembly by a snap ring 39 riding in locking groove 40 on the plug. A lock plug 41 is likewise mounted in the pin tumbler assembly 42 carried by the outside housing 21.

Plugs 38 and 41 are generally cylindrical at their inner ends 43, 44, respectively, and include axially extending slots 45, 46, respectivelysee FIGURE 4. Plugs 38 and 41 are selectively and alternatively keyed in driving relationsln'p with the cam 23 by link assemblies next to be described.

The outer link assembly 50 serves to key the plug 41 to the cam 23 through the use of one or more extender members 51, 51a. While the illustrated embodiment incorporates two extender members 51, 51a, it will be readily appreciated from the following explanation that where the width of the door is greater, it will be necessary to employ additional extenders 51a and where the device is used with a narrower door, extenders may be eliminated.

The extenders 51, 51a include radially projecting drive portions 52, 52a, extending from a cylindrical collar portion 53, 53a at the outer ends of the extenders 51, 51a, respectively. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the collar 53a of extender 51a nests within the cylindrical inner portion 44 of the plug 41, with the portion 52a drivingly sleeved within the slot 46 of said plug (FIGURE 4).

The inner portions 54, 54a of the extenders comprise discontinuous cylindrical members having at their innermost ends, drive slots 55, 55a-see FIGURE 4. The tubular inner ends 54, 54a are thus substantially identical to the inner tubular portions 43, 44 of the lock plugs 38, 41. Hence, the reduced portion 53 of the extender 51 is received in the annular end portion 541: of extender 51a, the drive portion 52 entering slot 55a in such interfit, thereby drivingly to link extenders 51 and 51a for common rotation.

The extenders 51, 51a include axially extending blind bores 56, 56a, the bore 56a having compression coil spring 57 housed therein for purposes which will appear hereafter, it being understood that the length of the spring 57 is such that the outer end 58 thereof projects beyond the extender member 51a.

Cam member 23 is provided with an axial passage 60 extending therethrough. Interposed within the axial passage 60 is a parti-annular shoulder portion 61 which is preferably formed integrally with the cam member, the shoulder being provided with an axially extending slot 62 for purposes which will appear hereafter.

Within the cam there is axially slidably supported a pair of driver wafers 63, 64, which wafers are rotatably secured together by a slip ferrule 65 extending through axial apertures formed in the wafers 63, 64. Each of the wafers 63, 64 includes a drive lug 67, 68, respectively, which lugs project radially from the wafers. When the wafers 63, 64 are disposed within the annular passage 60 through the cam 23, it will be observed that the wafers may be axially shifted to positions wherein the lug 67 or the lug 68 is in registry with the slot 62 formed in the shoulder 61 and, hence, one or the other Wafer is selectively keyed for rotation with the cam.

It will be further observed that when the wafers are shifted axially to the left, as viewed in FIGURES 3 and 4, the wafer 64 enters into the cylindrical portion 43 of the plug 38, as shown in FIGURE 4.

The extender members 51, 51a are disposed within a filler ferrule 70 having an inner bore 71, the ends 72, 73 of the ferrule being disposed against the inner end of the outer housing 21 and an annular end shoulder 69 of the cam member 23. As previously explained, the number of extender members 51, 51a will be a function of the thickness of the door and hence it will be obvious that where more extenders are provided, the length of the ferrule 70 must be likewise varied to accommodate the same.

The assembly is completed by a connector bar 80 having offset end portions 81, 82 adapted to interfit recessed portions 83, 84, respectively, of the housings 21, 22, respectively. In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 7, the connector bar is provided with a pair of spaced apertures a adjacent the ends thereof, which apertures are disposed a distance apart calculated to register with the spacing of threaded apertures b formed in the recessed portions 83, 84 of the housings.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that bolts threaded through the apertures a and into the threaded portions b elfect the desired integration of the parts.

As best seen from FIGURE 4, the length of the connector bar is calculated to maintain the housings 21, 22 a predetermined distance apart, which distance is sufficient to provide slight clearance for the interposed cam 23 and ferrule 70, to permit relative rotation of these parts.

It will be observed from FIGURE 4 that after assembly of the device, sufficient clearance in an axial direction is provided to permit the extenders 51, 51a to shift or reciprocate in unison toward plug 41 or toward the cam 23. The outer end 58 of spring 57 carried by extender 51a bears against the end portion of the plug 41 and urges the extenders away from the plug and into a position in which the annular end portion of the innermost extender 51 bears against the annular shoulder 61 within the cam 23. This position is shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and it will be observed that when the device is in such position, the wafers 63, 64 have been shifted axially to the left, as shown in the drawings, to a position whereat the drive portion 67 of the wafer 63 is simultaneously seated in the slot 55 of extender 51 and the slot 62 of the cam 23. In this position, rotation of plug 41 (or rotation of a knob, if a lock assembly on the inside is not desired), will be communicated through the keyed extenders 51a, 51, and through the wafer 63 to the cam 23, and a rotation of the cam will result.

It will be further observed that a complete rotation of the cam will not be impeded by relatively rotatable wafer 64 since the same has been shifted by the pressure of spring 57 to a position wherein the drive portion 68 thereof is cleared from any engagement within the slot 62 of the cam. Thus, although the plug 38 cannot be rotated, it will be observed that a full rotation of the cam may be effected.

When it is desired to operate the device through the use of the outside plug 38, a key is inserted therein, with the result that the tip bf the key passes entirely through the keyway of plug 38 and engages against wafer 64, shifting the wafers laterally to the right, to the position shown in FIGURE 10. It will be observed that in said position, the drive key 68 of wafer 64 is simultaneously disposed in the drive slot 45 of plug 38 and the drive slot 62 of the cam 23 and, hence, rotary motion of said plug will be transmitted through the wafer 64 to the cam 23. It will be further observed that such inward axial shifting movement has, through the abutting relation of the Wafers,

- cleared the drive key 67 of wafer 63 from its position within drive slot 62 and, hence, the inner extender 51 is no longer drivingly coupled to the cam 23, such coupling being accomplished only when the drive key 67 of the wafer 63 lies both in the slot 62 of the cam and in the slot 55 of the extender.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the insertion of a key into the outer plug assembly simultaneously couples the outer plug to the cam and decouples the entire inner assembly from any connection with the cam. This feature is extremely important in the conversion of mortise locks of the type described since such locks commonly require substantially a 360 rotation of the cam member to throw the latch bolt.

In FIGURE 7 I have shown a device which is similar to the device described, with the exception that the filler ferrule 70 has been omitted and a shortened connector bar has been employed. The inner and outer housings of the embodiment of FIGURE 7 are identical to those of the previously described embodiment except that the ferrule is eliminated, a shorter connector bar is employed, and extenders are eliminated.

It will be equally appreciated that should it be desired to make a device wider than that shown in FIGURE 4, a longer ferrule and additional extenders may be employed. Moreover, the nesting relationship of the parts permits accommodation to minor variations within the range of those provided by the length of the extenders and ferrules provided.

In FIGURE 8 there is shown an embodiment of a connector bar assembly wherein the length of the connector bar may be readily varied to suit a particular application. Thus, the connector bar includes a plurality of attachment apertures a, certain of said apertures being separated from each other by weakened breakoff lines 90. It will be readily appreciated that where a connector bar as shown in FIGURE 8 is employed, o y limited Stock of bars need be carried by the locksmith, the bars being varied to suit a particular application by breaking or fracturing an increment or increments of the bar sufficient to reduce the length thereof to that which is dictated by the thickness of a particular door.

A further alternative for providing bars adaptable to varying door thicknesses is to form the same of a plurality of overlapping parts, whereby the length of the bar may be foreshortened by superimposing variable increments of the parts, and the scope of the appended claims is to be broadly construed to cover such construction. The attachment bolts for securing the connector bar to the housing may be used to keep the parts of such overlapping connector bar in a desired relation.

In FIGURE 9 there is shown a composite ferrule assembly wherein, instead of a single length of ferrule, the ferrule 70' is comprised of a group of nesting ferrules which may be joined to each other in end-to-end engagement to provide any desired length, separation of the ferrule elements being prevented by attachment of the connector bar between the housings.

It will be understood that in all instances, the connector bar 80 is provided with an additional threaded aperture 89 to receive locking bolt 91 which is threaded inwardly from the edge of the door through the mortise lock assembly, said bolt serving to support the lock assembly within the door.

From the foregoing it will be observed that through the novel lock assembly hereinabove described, a locksmith is enabled, by maintaining only a limited stock of parts, to provide a modern lock assembly to supplant the locking mechanisms of the old closet or mortise type. Moreover, the locksmith is not required to maintain an inventory of assemblies for doors of varying thicknesses but, rather, by reason of the novel construction of the device, is required to stock only a few parts, readily assemblable to meet substantially any varying condition of door thickness.

The fabrication of a lock for a door of a greater or lesser thickness thus becomes a matter of including additional identical elements in the assembly rather than stocking a multiplicity of differential elements.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lock assembly comprising first and second housings, a cam driver in each said housing, the driver of said first housing including a lock plug, a latch operator cam rotatably mounted between said housings, a spacer ferrule interposed between said cam and said second housing, said ferrule having an inner bore, a support bar fixed to said housings and maintaining said housings in abutting relation, respectively, with said cam and said ferrule, a pair of independently rotatable abutting link means for connecting said cam drivers selectively and alternatively to said cam, one said link means being longitudinally extensible, and including at least two relatively longitudinally movable cylindrical segments rotatably mounted in said ferrule, one said segment including a drive portion slidably extending from one segment to the other segment and locking said segments against relative rotation, each said link means having at its inner end a generally cylindrical wafer member, said wafer members being relatively rotatable and disposed in end-to-end abutting position, each said wafer member including a radially extending drive portion, a complemental drive portion on said cam adjacent said drive portions of said Wafers, said wafers being axially reciprocable with respect to said cam to engage one only of said wafers in driving connection with said cam, spring means interposed between said second housing and said one link means for biasing said one link means toward said cam, normally to engage the wafer of said one link means With said cam, and clear the wafer member of said other link means from said cam, said other link means including portions positioned to be engaged and inwardly shifted by a key inserted into said plug, thereby to connect said wafer of said other link means with said cam and clear said wafer of said one link means therefrom.

2. A look assembly comprising inner and outer housings, a connector bar releasably attachable to said housings to space said housings apart a distance in accordance with the length of said bar, said bar including overlapping sections, connector means for securing said bar to said housings with said sections in a variety of overlapped positions, thereby to vary the effective length of said bar a rotatable cam driver means in said inner one of said housings, a lock plug in said outer housing, a latch operator cam rotatably mounted between said plug and said cam driver means, an extender assembly interposed between said one housing and said cam, said extender assembly including a tubular ferrule having an inner cylindrical bore, the ends of said ferrule abutting, respectively, said one housing and said cam, an axially extensible link drivingly connected to said cam driver means and yieldingly biased into driving connection with said cam, said link including a plurality of nested cylindrical elements rotatably and axially movably mounted in said bore of said ferrule, the number of said elements being determined by the length of said connector bar, said elements being keyed to each other, to said cam and to said driver means, said cam including a cylindrical portion rotatably supported at the end of said ferrule abutting said cam.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a lock assembly kit adaptable for doors of a variety of thicknesses, comprising independent inner and outer driver housings, each having a rotatable driver member, each said housing having an axially extending mounting surface, a connector bar having axially extending co-planar mounting surfaces facing in opposite directions, threaded fastener means extending between said housings and said bar and clamp ing a mounting surface of each said housing against a different mounting surface of said bar, means for varying the effective length of said connector bar and, hence, the spacing of said housings, latch operator cam means rotatably mounted between said housings, an extender assembly interposed between one said driver and said cam means, said extender assembly including a plurality of tubular ferrule sections nested in endto-end relation to define an axial bore, the number of such sections varying in accordance with the effective length of said bar, link means mounted within said axial bore of said ferrule for rotative and axial movement therein, said link means including a plurality of nesting cylindrical segments in driving connection with each other, with said driver member and with said cam, the number of said segments varying in accordance with the length of said ferrule, said cam being mounted for rotation on said ferrule.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 199,048 1/ 1878 Felter 70-375 X 2,213,262 9/ 1940 Segal 70461 2,829,513 4/1958 Fresard et al 70379 X 3,209,568 10/1965 Patriquin 70-373 FOREIGN PATENTS 579,013 6/1933 Germany.

680,417 8/ 1939 Germany. 1,150,903 6/ 1963 Germany.

708,097 4/1954 Great Britain.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LOCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND HOUSINGS, A CAM DRIVER IN EACH HOUSING, THE DRIVER OF SAID FIRST HOUSING INCLUDING A LOCK PLUG, A LATCH OPERATOR CAM ROTATABLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID HOUSINGS, A SPACER FERRULE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CAM AND SAID SECOND HOUSING, SAID FERRULE HAVING AN INNER BORE, A SUPPORT BAR FIXED TO SAID HOUSINGS AND MAINTAINING SAID HOUSINGS IN ABUTTING RELATION, RESPECTIVELY, WITH SAID CAM AND SAID FERRULE, A PAIR OF INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE ABUTTING LINK MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID CAM DRIVERS SELECTIVELY AND ALTERNATIVELY TO SAID CAM, ONE SAID LINK MEANS BEING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENSIBLE, AND INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO RELATIVELY LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE CYLINDRICAL SEGMENTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FERRULE, ONE SAID SEGMENT INCLUDING A DRIVE PORTION SLIDABLY EXTENDING FROM ONE SEGMENT TO THE OTHER SEGMENT AND LOCKING SAID SEGMENTS AGAINST RELATIVE ROTATION, EACH SAID LINK MEANS HAVING AT ITS INNER END A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL WAFER MEMBER, SAID WAFER MEMBERS BEING RELATIVELY ROTATABLE AND DISPOSED IN END-TO-END ABUTTING POSITION, EACH SAID WAFER MEMBER INCLUDING A RADIALLY EXTENDING DRIVE PORTION, A COMPLEMENTAL DRIVE PORTION ON SAID CAM ADJACENT SAID DRIVE PORTIONS OF SAID WAFERS, SAID WAFERS BEING AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID CAM TO ENGEGE ONE ONLY OF SAID WAFER IN DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID CAM, SPRING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SECOND HOUSING AND SAID ONE LINK MEANS FOR BIASING SAID ONE LINK MEANS TOWARD SAID CAM, NORMALLY TO ENGAGE THE WAFER OF SAID ONE LINK MEANS WITH SAID CAM, AND CLEAR THE WAFER MEMBER OF SAID OTHER LINK MEANS FOR SAID CAM, SAID OTHER LINK MEANS INCLUDING PORTIONS POSITIONED TO BE ENGAGED AND INWARDLY SHIFTED BY A KEY INSERTED INTO SAID PLUG, THEREBY TO CONNECT SAID WAFER OF SAID OTHER LINK MEANS WITH SAID CAM AND CLEAR SAID WAFER OF SAID ONE LINK MEANS THEREFROM. 